When you read about how some people in Austin, don't want any more "Transplants" from CA or anywhere else.. (Whitehouse: cul-de-sac, apartment)

[jread]

I love the growth.... I think it's great. I hope that more people from all over the world keep coming here and adding to what makes Austin such a great place to live.

My problem isn't with the growth, it's how the people who ARE here are managing the growth. Stop building suburban crap all over the place, give us public transit options, give us higher density housing, give us urban renewal, preserve our natural areas.... you know the drill.

[brattpowered]

Originally Posted by jread

My problem isn't with the growth, it's how the people who ARE here are managing the growth. Stop building suburban crap all over the place, give us public transit options, give us higher density housing, give us urban renewal, preserve our natural areas.... you know the drill.

AMEN!! How many more "Ranch at ...." do we need? What we have to do is build some tall buildings on fallow industrial lots and surface parking lots downtown, and give tax incentives to homeowners in the central core for building accessory apartments and garage apartments on their properties. We also need to work on Vertical Mixed Use projects to make apartments above storefronts on our busier roadways, and create a viable public transportation system.

Many people may not like the increased density this would create in the core, but people are not going to stop moving to Austin. This means the only ways to go are up or out. If you want to keep the Hill Country from being eaten up and the waterways from being degraded even more, the only thing to do is build up our downtown and make our urban core more dense.

[jread]

Originally Posted by brattpowered

AMEN!! How many more "Ranch at ...." do we need? What we have to do is build some tall buildings on fallow industrial lots and surface parking lots downtown, and give tax incentives to homeowners in the central core for building accessory apartments and garage apartments on their properties. We also need to work on Vertical Mixed Use projects to make apartments above storefronts on our busier roadways, and create a viable public transportation system.

Many people may not like the increased density this would create in the core, but people are not going to stop moving to Austin. This means the only ways to go are up or out. If you want to keep the Hill Country from being eaten up and the waterways from being degraded even more, the only thing to do is build up our downtown and make our urban core more dense.

It's such a simple and completely logical concept isn't it? Why in the hell doesn't anyone seem to get it?

[jwb123]

Because not *everyone* wants to cram their family into a 2 bedroom $350k condo on the 35th floor? I agree going up is a great option for some people - but not to everyone... and if you like that, and can afford that... great...

To that end, there has to be some other option between just going up up up, and cookie cutter neighborhood sprawl that you will find acceptable?

Maybe I am one of the people that "just don't get it" - so make me get it. Why is it acceptable to force city life on those that want more space, more yard/land, good schools, safer neighborhoods... less density? I am all for not being excessive, and responsible growth, I get that... most families don't "need" a 3000+ sqft, 5 bedroom, 3 car garage house 3 mins from 2 walmarts, a target and best buy.... but what's your middle ground?

For my family, and hundreds of others.... if we moved to the "urban core" - we would be then contributing to traffic commute, and pollution... There are major employers out here in the "suburban crap" you complain about. This would detract from our quality of life, and our efforts to reduce waste (my husband bikes to work because it's better for him, and the environment) as well as ADD to a growing problem. We moved from an area where he commuted over an hour each day - what a waste of a life and precious resources.

[brattpowered]

Originally Posted by Jenbar

.... but what's your middle ground?

Welcome to the New Urbanism
Links to TND and New Urban Neighborhoods
Mueller Austin

[jwb123]

Yeah, again - that's city living... not everyone wants to live in a city like environment and doesn't address the fact that there are major employers out here in the suburbs.

[love roses]

I second all that. As much as we enjoyed city living when we did it, we didn't like the fact that we had a narrow grass strip for a yard and that the schools we were zoned for weren't good (although we planned to have her go to a different district since they had school choice there). I personally like my elbow room.

And I would love to have public transportation, I just wish they would put it where people live and can use it, besides Leander/Cedar Park.

[jwb123]

By the way, have you seen all the big box shopping at Mueller???

Mueller Austin: Retail

Also, what are the pricing on these homes? It doesn't say directly on the website.

Most middle class ($75k? income) people probably can't qualify for the "affordable" home program... (eta, you can't make more than $61k) and I know David Weekly, Meritage and Standard Pacific builders are on the higher end.... so while it's pretty easy to throw down a link as your way of addressing my valid point, I really doesn't. If I can't qualify for the "affordable" homes because we make too much - but can't afford the higher end builders - where does it leave the average family like us? Looking out at the suburbs where we can afford it....

ETA: I did a search on the site for homes in the "200's" - which are really $240's-290's, and these are only 2 bedroom homes!!!!, and anyone who knows anything about buying a new construction home knows that the entry price, in this case $240, gives you basically an apartment quality home, and they nickle and dime you with just about anything! Your $240k home ends up being more like $260k - and that's not even with excessive high end "upgrades"....

Again, Mueller... GREAT idea.... but not for everyone.... or every budget, or really even... most people's average budget.

[brattpowered]

Originally Posted by Jenbar

Yeah, again - that's city living... not everyone wants to live in a city like environment and doesn't address the fact that there are major employers out here in the suburbs.

I suppose our views of city living are different. I wouldn't consider a single family house on a 1/4 or 1/5 acre "city living."

And yes, Mueller does have some problems (big box) but it's a definite step in the right direction.

Besides.. no matter how much people may despise traditional neighborhoods, the "suburban crap" will be the salvage heaps and slums of the future when gas goes up to $10 a gallon or so. Just sayin'

[Trainwreck20]

high density living downtown is one option, the other, as alluded to by Jenbar, is to live close to where you work. People living in S. Austin in Ruby Ranch and commuting up to Dell or something in N. Austin blows my mind.......